Reilly nails it

OK, many of us have proclaimed that Rick Reilly has lost a couple mph off his high, hard one, that he's not the columnist he used to be.
But give the guy credit, when he hits one out of the park (OK, I realize I just mixed my baseball metaphors), it's fun to step back and watch it.

"They're so rich they're not committing suicide like these two players!"

(Laughter.)

Fucking awful use of a serious topic.

[quote author=Rick Reilley]Question: In 10 years, do you think you're going to find New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft wandering the streets because of the 200-plus concussions he didn't know he had from his time in the NFL? You figure Detroit Lions owner William Clay Ford will end up with ringing in the ears and depression the way former Patriots linebacker Ted Johnson did? Within the past year alone, two former players killed themselves.

I haven't read Reilly much since he jumped to ESPN the Rag...and this just states the obvious...rich owners looking for a better deal...players signing on for a risky and often short career. Where's the "wow" in that.

Side note: How does the NFLPA get a figure of 3,000 jobs in each NFL city? I doubt the full-time positions would be even a tenth of that. Maybe if you're counting the beer vendor who gets eight days of good money, but even then, 3,000? Do the dad and son who get $10 for parking spots on their front lawn count as two?

And does D. Smith at least get a tagline on that? It's awesome that if you stand the millionaire up next to the billionaire, he might as well be standing on an offramp with a cardboard sign. The greed isn't one-sided here.

"They're so rich they're not committing suicide like these two players!"

(Laughter.)

Fucking awful use of a serious topic.

[quote author=Rick Reilley]Question: In 10 years, do you think you're going to find New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft wandering the streets because of the 200-plus concussions he didn't know he had from his time in the NFL? You figure Detroit Lions owner William Clay Ford will end up with ringing in the ears and depression the way former Patriots linebacker Ted Johnson did? Within the past year alone, two former players killed themselves.

You recall any NFL owners killing themselves lately?

Click to expand...

[/quote]

I didn't get that at all. I disagree with Reilly here, for the most part. But his point that it is the players, not the owners, putting their lives on the line is fair game.

"They're so rich they're not committing suicide like these two players!"

(Laughter.)

Fucking awful use of a serious topic.

[quote author=Rick Reilley]Question: In 10 years, do you think you're going to find New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft wandering the streets because of the 200-plus concussions he didn't know he had from his time in the NFL? You figure Detroit Lions owner William Clay Ford will end up with ringing in the ears and depression the way former Patriots linebacker Ted Johnson did? Within the past year alone, two former players killed themselves.

You recall any NFL owners killing themselves lately?

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

I didn't get that at all. I disagree with Reilly here, for the most part. But his point that it is the players, not the owners, putting their lives on the line is fair game.

He's not making a joke. He's making a point.
[/quote]

I hate when people say that - "the players are putting their life on the line."
Great. Guess what? That's their choice. It's the risk of the job, a job where they're paid a hefty sum of money.
Don't want to deal with the reprocussions of the job? Stay in school, get a degree, and go teach.

"They're so rich they're not committing suicide like these two players!"

(Laughter.)

Fucking awful use of a serious topic.

[quote author=Rick Reilley]Question: In 10 years, do you think you're going to find New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft wandering the streets because of the 200-plus concussions he didn't know he had from his time in the NFL? You figure Detroit Lions owner William Clay Ford will end up with ringing in the ears and depression the way former Patriots linebacker Ted Johnson did? Within the past year alone, two former players killed themselves.

You recall any NFL owners killing themselves lately?

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

I didn't get that at all. I disagree with Reilly here, for the most part. But his point that it is the players, not the owners, putting their lives on the line is fair game.

He's not making a joke. He's making a point.

Click to expand...

I hate when people say that - "the players are putting their life on the line."
Great. Guess what? That's their choice. It's the risk of the job, a job where they're paid a hefty sum of money.
Don't want to deal with the reprocussions of the job? Stay in school, get a degree, and go teach.